Little Discoveries Preschool

We had a horrible experience we where on the waiting list got the call on the start date requesting deposit by the director told here we where on vacation, than kids and our selfs got sick when we got home had called to let them know and that we would like to have our daughter sit in on a lesson and see how she would do once we all got better. Was told that would not be a problem.
We went in during nap time waiting at the front desk no one was there we waiting for a while as we where waiting a father came to pick up his child/car seat no one came to help us so I called them to let them know we came in but was during napping to arrange a better time and was told we where skipped on the list no call ever to see if we where still interested? even tho I had made several calls we where still interested and communicate and was just told by her (director) that the owner and her decided we where not interested very cold and we lost our spot. Lack of communication we where called once requested a deposit all other calls where made by us communicated our interest and I couldn't even get a call to be told we where being skipped.

About me: I am the antithesis of the PTA mom. I'm pretty much a hot mess most days. I have two wonderful boys (20 mos and 3 mos) that run my life and keep my busy beyond belief. I sought daycare, not because I needed someone to watch my children (thanks grammy!) but because I wanted my children to be socialized, learn some structure, and HAVE FUN! I'm extremely protective and highly opinionated mom, but I will be the first to admit that I kinda suck at this mom gig. So! Any help I can get, I'm game.

SO, I shopped around at a few daycares in town and was surprised by the massive variety of variables in care, prices, and personalities. My first impression, just from visiting Little Discoveries: I love it! I just enrolled my 20-month-old son three days a week. Here's why:

The moment I stepped into the safety-gated front door, I was greeted with a smile. It felt genuine. Not desperate or lackluster. I was also THAT mom who called and literally asked 68 questions in a mini interview before even stepping foot in the doors and the owner was kind enough to answer EVERY question in detail. I was surprised to not have any concerns when I got off the phone with her. I had heard from MANY friends, especially THOSE moms who everyone wants to be like, that Little Discoveries was the place to go. True to my rebellious nature, I decided it'd be the last place I checked out. I am SO glad I did. I felt something missing from so many other daycares. Something I think is more important than just about anything else: LOVE!

I want to know that when I drop my little guy off, he will be held and cuddled and adored as much as humanly possible for those who've not birthed him. I was stoked to see many hugs and snuggles given the moment I walked into the infant area. I heard soft, pleasant voices cooing at babies, saying "please" and "thank you." It was peaceful enough that I wanted to lie down and rest listening to the staff's sweet voices.

I witnessed positive structure. The kind where back pats and hugs happen when something goes right. The kind where safety is first, but kindness isn't far behind. I saw SMILES! I had no idea how much of a difference this would make to me, but it was huge! Too many other places in town have structure without smiles. That just feels so wrong. Here, everyone was smiling. The kids, the staff. It's lovely!

I saw tons of age-appropriate toys, a well-fenced backyard for play, and all kinds of active, devoted staff. The place is not immaculately clean, but it's cleaner than my home. I found daycares that were too clean and it bugged me. How can kids have fun if they don't get a little paint on their hands? How do I know they've eaten if there aren't yummy little crumbs on their clothes? I think a healthy level of cleanliness is important to observe. Part of it being healthy is having room for brain-growing messes. Little Discoveries had exactly that.

I LOVE that they feed the kids. I didn't know how off-putting it'd be to have to think about making lunches and meals for kids, but it literally made me disinterested in another daycare. Being able to drop my little guy off knowing they are well stocked on healthy food and feed kids throughout the day so I don't have to worry about a thing is GREAT!

The pricing is reasonable and better than a few other places in town. For the value, it's the best by far. You can do part time, full time, or drop-in if you're registered already. They adhere to the state ratio laws and seem overstaffed at times (which I think is a bonus).

Little Discoveries has a few citations on the licensing board site BUT! If you look at those citations, there are far fewer than any other places and their license is one of the oldest in town. Also, one of the citations is for a staff member playing with kids and accidentally falling. If there's gunna be a hazard for my kid, I HOPE it's while he's having tons of fun doing something engaging. At least that's my take. There are definitely places I didn't even check out based on the citations I read alone. Feel free to check the website and see what I mean...

Finally, I like their electronic check in and camera systems. The first thing anyone hears about, when daycare shopping, is the cameras. There's something about knowing you can peek in on your kiddo anytime that soothes the soul. Also, who's gunna do wrong when they know they're on camera? Not many folks...

I'm BEYOND happy to have a place like Little Discoveries in Chico. They have two other locations as well and it sounds like they're very flexible with parents and their scheduling needs. Based off of first impressions alone, obviously, I'm sold. I shall update more as our experience deepens.

Wishing all the other parents shopping for this most important service luck! It's terrifying and wonderful. Trust your gut! There are definitely worse places to take your kiddos. For now, I highly recommend Little Discoveries. :)